Etching apparatus.



J. S. FREER.

ETGHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED M2122, 1910.

Patented Feb. 6, 191.2.l

/ l l l f r l JAMES S. FRER, F RU'BHRFORD, NEW JERSEY.

nronine nrrarmrns.

amener.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Application filed September 22, 1,910. Serial No. 533,165.v

Patented Feb. o, 1912.

To aZZ whom, t may concern: Be it known lthat 1, JAMES S. Fianna, a citizen of the United States, residing at'Rutherford, county vof lBergen, and State of N ew Jersey, have invented a new and Improved 4lltchirn; Apparatus, of which the following manner, so as to leave those `which are to be etched, exposed to the attack of the etching fluid.

' said bath with a 4when the plate is sustained "is a specification.

'.lhis invention relates 'to a novel-apparatus for etching plates, the working surfaces of which are prepared in suitable or known portions thereof,

By myinvention, the surface of the plate isrcompletely submerged during the etching process, and the bath is so agitated by means of submerged compressed airjjets .that the bath will effectively attack the plate. As'

during the etching process the working surfaceof the plate faces downward, no objec tionable deposits can form thereon.

1n vthe accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a plan of an etching apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof.

A tank or Ireceptacle 10 made of acid proof material, and containing the etching bath 11, is provided beneath the surface of pair of alined bearings 12. These bearings accommodate the gudgeons 18 of a removable normally submerged shaft 14, adapted to be rocked'by a hand lever 15 and located at a distance above thel bottom of the tank. Shaft 14 is provided uwith a longitudinal groove 16 adapted to receive the lower end of the plate 17 to be etched, said plate being se` cured to the shaft by means of a suitable holder 18 or otherwise. Holder 18 is hooked over the top of plate 17 and lis clamped to shaftl14, by means of a nut l19 engaging a threaded pin 20 of shaft 14. A pair of stops 21, 22 adapted to be engaged by lever 15, serve to sustain the plate either in a horizontal or a substantially u right position, the correlation of the parts eing such, that position, its then lower surface, which is the surface to be etched', is completely submerged in bath 11 and is held at a distance above the bottom of tub 10, so that such lower surface .is subjected to the action of the acid bath.

" shaft 14, 'and at a short distance above rthe bottom of tank: l0, there is suitably `of plate 17,

.complete and in which in a horizontal supported a submerged air distributer 23`- shown to consist plurality ofair egress openings 24 prefer-y ably on its lower side. communicates-at one end by means of a suitable flexible coupling 25 with a compressed air tank, pump or other compressed air supply 26. By'means of air distributer 23 a large number of minute air jets are projected into the etching bath, so that the latter is thoroughly agitated and aerated. This agitated and aerated bath will thus effectively attack the submerged working surface such surface being in a most effective manner' presented to the corroding action of the bath.

he operation will be readily understood. Plate 17 is fitted into seat 16 of shaft 14, and clamped to the latter by holder 18. Lever 15 is swung forward until it engages stop 21, position the working surface of the plate will assume a substantially horizontal position and be submerged in bath 11. Compressed air being admitted to coil 23, the bath will be4 aerated and agitated in the manner described to uniformly etch plate 17. shaft 14 maybe rocked from time to time by hand lever 15, so as to uncover plate 17, and permit the same to be inspected. When the operation is completed, shaft 14 is turned until lever 15 rests against stop 22,

of a pipecoilhaving a Air distributer 28" During the j etching operation,

holder 18 is uncoupled from shaft 14, and

the etchedplate 1s unseated and lifted out of the bath.

It will be seen that lby my invention, a thorough contact of the plate with the agitated body ofv the etchin fluid will take place. Furthermore as t e `working surface of the plate faces downward, no objectionable deposits can form thereon, and finally no clogging up of the air ejecting orices is liable to occur, owing to the fact that such orifices are vformed along the bottom of the air distributer.

I claim:

. An etching apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain an etching bath, an air distributing pipe arranged at the bottom thereof and having aV plurality of air egress openings, fa pair of alined bearings in the tank above said pipe, a rock shaft hung in said bearings, means for clamping a work plate to said shaft, manually operable means for turning the `shaft and thereby 11.0

swinging the Work plate into a horizontal position beneath the level of the bath, and a stop for checking the descent of said plate.

2. An etching Aapparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain an etching bath, an air distributing pipe arranged at the bottom thereof and having a plurality of air egress openings.I a pair of alined bearings in the tank above said pipe, a rock shaft hung. in said bearings, a holder` clamped to the rock shaft andhaving a hook shaped end that is adapted to engage a work plate, nianuallyoperable nieans for turning the shaft and thereby swinging the work plate into a horizont-al position beneath the level of the bath, and a stop for checking the descent' of said plate.

3. n etching apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain an etching bath, an

air distributing pipe arranged at the bottom .of stops adapted to be engaged by the lever and to thereby sustain the work plate either in a horizontal or a substantially upright position.

J AMES S. F REER. lfVitnesses ARTHUR E. ZUMPE, KA'rInmYNn KOCH. 

